Bhubaneswar: Ruling BJD vice president Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was removed from his post Tuesday.
BJD has, however, not cited any reason for removing him from the party post.
“Shri Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, vice president, Biju Janata Dal, is hereby removed from the post of vice president with immediate effect,” a party release signed by BJD president Naveen Patnaik said.
Party President & CM Shri @Naveen_Odisha removed Shri Soumya Ranjan Patnaik from the post of Vice President with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/DXfiuCPaOa
— Biju Janata Dal (@bjd_odisha) September 12, 2023
The action against Soumya Ranjan came after senior leaders including some ministers accused him of ‘blackmailing’ the party.
Soumya Ranjan had recently criticised the manner in which the state government functions and 5T Secretary cum Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary VK Pandian’s whirlwind tour of the state.
Soumya Ranjan rejected the allegation that he was ‘blackmailing’ the party. He was only giving some suggestions for the advancement of BJD, he argued.
The state is likely to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly seats. The ruling BJD has been in power from 2000 under Naveen Patnaik.
Soumya Ranjan, the son-in-law of former Odisha Chief Minister JB Patnaik, had joined BJD in 2018 and was sent to Rajya Sabha. Later, he contested from Khandapada Assembly segment and won.
PNN & Agencies